Love organic food? Then you're a jerk ... at least according to research.
Pschologist Kendall Eskine of Loyola University in New Orleans showed that people exposed to organic food are more judgmental and volunteer less than those exposed to comfort food:
When it came to helping out a needy stranger, the organic people also proved to be more selfish, volunteering only 13 minutes as compared to 19 minutes (for controls) and 24 minutes (for comfort food folks).
"There's something about being exposed to organic food that made them feel better about themselves," says Eskine. "And that made them kind of jerks a little bit, I guess."
Why does eating better make us act worse? Eskine says it probably has to do with what he calls "moral licensing."
"People may feel like they've done their good deed," he says. "That they have permission, or license, to act unethically later on. It's like when you go to the gym and run a few miles and you feel good about yourself, so you eat a candy bar."
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Previously: Are Urban Bicyclists Snobs?
In other words, judgmental people may be more likely to eat organic food.
I wonder if people who eat out of their backyard garden which just happens to be organic but not particularly expensive were included in this study.
They did not sort the participants into "I eat organic food", "I eat normal food," and "I eat comfort food" categories.
Instead, they showed photos of organic food, normal food, and comfort foods to 3 randomized groups. Those that view (and only view, not eat) organic food photos are found to be more judgmental.